Hello, all. I have a 1994 T-Bird and the manual says I can either use Power Steering fluid or Type F ATF in my power steering unit. I've always used Power Steering Fluid (usually Valvoline), but am wondering if there would be any advantage to using the Type F. Any thoughts?

One of the reasons I asked is that on my other vehicle, that only calls for Dexron III for its power steering fluid, the fluid stays fresh-looking and red, while the power steering fluid in my T-Bird (Valvoline SynPower) turns a grayish-black almost instantly, even after I drain and refill. I'm wondering if the ATF somehow lasts longer or keeps the system cleaner. I doubt I would notice any improvement either way.

I don't know why it would do that.I do know we use Maxlife in the P/S in our Ford work trucks and it works great even in this West Tx heat.Of course you could always try the Type F it should be fine and probably cheaper.

Maybe I'll give the Type F a try just for the heck of it. Once I do, I'll be sure to post the results. At the very least, it should be a cheaper alternative for doing a few flushes before returning to the Maxlife PS fluid. Maybe all the system needs is a few flushes in a row.

I just finished flushing my power steering system with one quart of fresh power steering fluid and two quarts of Castrol Type F. Then, I filled the system with more fresh Type F. I took it for a drive afterwards (about eight miles), and did not notice any difference in performance. The noise level of the power steering unit is virtually silent, just like before. The fluid has remained nice and bright red. We'll see how it looks in a few days. The yellow-clear PS fluid would turn dark almost instantly, so hopefully there will be an improvement in that area.

Quote:Use what is recommended the seals and hoses have to be tested with approved fluids.

I don't use Type F in Ford power steering systems anymore, preferring instead to use Mercon or Mercon V, and have never had an issue with leaks. Using Mercon seems to have fixed the cold-weather stiffness my 1988 Mustang GT had.

Your manual may be telling you to use the Type F ATF or a specific Motorcraft "power steering" fluid, that is a type F ATF.My manual ('96 windstar) gives a specification number.I have Redline Synthetic Power Steering Fluid in mine.I found the Redline by taking the FORD specification number and doing a Yahoo search on it.As stated, you should be fine with the Mercon / Mercon V fluid......which Mobil 1 ATF is.....and is readily available.

Either of the ATF fluids that I mention will be great for cold weather, and the synthetic fluid will also give you improved heat tolerance.

Type-F is ancient. I too use Dex/Merc in those PSF systems. No seal issues either.

If you can't find type-F, various powershift and hydraulic fluids also meet the Type-F/G specs. Just read the label.

For those of you hung up on a spec, Amsoil ART, Redline Racing ATF, and Neo are some synthetic Type-F choices.

A siphon/refill doesn't remove all the old PSF. When switching to a 'clear' PSF, you will always have some of the old ATF in the system. This could be the reason why the new fluid discolors frequently. Practice a more frequent siphon/refill interval and the PSF will stay clean.

Neo, Redline, Royalpurple, Synlube....also make full synthetic PSFs compatible with most PSF systems.

Now, although you may be able to safely run a Dexron or Mercon fluid in this system, it does not say this anywhere in the manual. In fact, my transmission uses Mercon, but it specifically states Type F for the power steering. While at my local car parts store yesterday, I checked the back of the ATF bottles. The Dexron III/Mercon bottles did not have the ESW-M2C33-F specification on the bottle, but the Type F bottle did. They probably work interchangeably, but I feel safer using the specified product. YMMV, though.